A Robot Carries Humans, Another One Plays Flute

Roland Piquepaille writes "The New Scientist says that a robot able to carry humans was demonstrated in Tokyo. The robot, developed at Waseda University in Tokyo and the Japanese robotics company tmsuk, 'uses 12 actuators to move forwards, backwards and sideways while carrying an adult weighing up to 60 kilograms (130 pounds).' It will be used 'in the fields of welfare, as an alternative to wheelchairs, which can go up and down stairs.' The Takanishi Laboratory carries other projects, including a flutist robot. More details and references are contained in this overview, which also includes a picture of the flutist robot in concert."

Comments

Bit late isnt it?

[herulach]

Surely this Covers the climbing up stairs thing, not to mention the reaching high places, as well as not looking quite so conspicuous as being carried round by a dirty great robot when youre out shopping.

Wheelchairs that can climb stairs already invented

[diamond0]

Wheelchairs can climb stairs

same technology, inventor, and company as the Segway.

Flute-playing robot? Very old-hat!

[hexatron]

Unbelievably old-hat. A flute-playing automaton was constructed before 1750. Search for Vaucanson (the inventor) and flute (the instrument)--it's no secret, though the current developers fail to mention this prior art.

Shielding electronics

[imnoteddy]

I hope they are careful about shielding their electonics. I knew a guy who was a high level quadriplegic who steered his electic wheel chair with his chin. One day he was in a subway station and as a train came up the strong electromagnetic fields caused his chair to go geserk. He was *very* frightened. Someone grabbed his chair and turned it off.